RESEARCH & PUBLICATION

Issue 43 Poverty, Protection and Exclusion in Rural Bangladesh

Social protection is one of the key strategies of fighting against long-lasting andintergenerational poverty in Bangladesh. The concept has significantly evolved both inscale and scope in recent times. Targeted pro-poor interventions in public servicesand safety net programmes have been scaled up. However, access to institutions isan issue of grave concern especially for poor people. Although, recent years havewitnessed almost 100 per cent school enrolment, drop out rate is still high especiallyamong the ultra poor children. Advocacy is BRAC’s latest tool to address the criticalissues of accessibility and utilisation of resources by the ultra poor. Looking at socialprotection interventions through the conceptual lens of ‘social exclusion’, this studyseeks to understand how and why the poorest face constraints in gaining access topublic services and entitlements, and why the ultra poor children discontinue regularschooling and drop out from primary education. Built on a mixed method approach,the study identifies a number of important mechanisms through which the poorestare excluded from their entitlements. There are a number of mediating processesthrough which they are included, but allegedly often in the elites’ terms andconditions. Besides, the study highlights a number of critical factors that forcechildren to discontinue schooling.